Field
The present application relates generally to methods and compositions for the repair or regeneration of damaged or diseased cells or tissue. Several embodiments relate to administration of exosomes (or protein and/or nucleic acids from the exosomes) isolated from cells or synthetic surrogates in order to repair and/or regenerate damage or diseased tissues. In particular, several embodiments, relate to exosomes derived from certain cell types, such as for example cardiac stem cells, and use of the exosomes in the repair and/or regeneration of cardiac tissue.
Description of the Related Art
Many diseases, injuries and maladies involve loss of or damage to cells and tissues. Examples include, but are not limited to neurodegenerative disease, endocrine diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Just these non-limiting examples are the source of substantial medical costs, reduced quality of life, loss of productivity in workplaces, workers compensation costs, and of course, loss of life. For example, coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, taking more than 650,000 lives annually. Approximately 1.3 million people suffer from a heart attack (or myocardial infarction, MI) every year in the United States (roughly 800,000 first heart attacks and roughly 500,000 subsequent heart attacks). Even among those who survive the MI, many will still die within one year, often due to reduced cardiac function, associated side effects, or progressive cardiac disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease, led to approximately 400,000 deaths in 2008 in the US. Regardless of the etiology, most of those afflicted with coronary heart disease or heart failure have suffered permanent heart tissue damage, which often leads to a reduced quality of life.